Parade Marks its 50th Edition

By George Gore Browne, Special to the Independent

The Patriots Day Parade sets out Saturday, March 5, led by grand marshal and native son Kelly Boyd and honored patriot of the year, local resident Marine Lt. Col. Carlos K. McAfee.

McAfee’s selfless direction of a medical evacuation during a 1966 firefight in Vietnam earned him the Naval Cross, the Navy’s second highest decoration for combat gallantry. “Through his valiant efforts, he prevented the possible annihilation of a Marine battalion by a numerically superior enemy force, and has undoubtedly saved many lives,” the citation reads in part.

“I’m delighted to participate, but this award is not about Carlos McAfee,” said McAfee. “It represents not only the military, but also all the first responders in this country.”

The parade that begins from Laguna Beach High School runs from 11 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. Floats will start on Park Avenue, turning right onto Glenneyre Street before turning right again onto Forest Avenue, ending just past City Hall. The farmers market will be closed for parade day, and downtown street closures will begin as early as 10 a.m. Free trolley service will begin operating at 9 a.m. to help alleviate parade-related traffic. The free trolleys will run along Coast Highway, from Cajon Street in North Laguna to the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. Closed streets include portions of Legion, Park, Glenneyre, Forest and Ocean avenues. Once the parade is over, an awards ceremony will take place at the Art-A-Fair/Tivoli Too grounds.

Eighty-eight entries are scheduled to walk, roll or trot along the parade this year. Newcomers include Blue Bell Foundation for Cats, Drama Kids International, LOCA Arts Education and Laguna Beach Lions Club, a service organization re-launching after a 34-year absence. The parade serves as the club’s inaugural effort to promote their return to Laguna Beach, says club member Justin Myers.

With the Laguna Beach Water District celebrating its 90th anniversary and its president honored as grand marshall, district staff decided to return to the parade line-up after a long absence. Asked about the district’s entry, spokesman Chris Regan said, “it’s going to be big, it’s going to be patriotic and it will include a conservation message.”

Other honorees include citizen of the year Stu Saffer, chosen for his involvement and contributions to the community; junior citizens Elle Mahdavi and Alex Rounaghi, selected by school staff based on their scholarship and service; artist of the year Dion Wright; and athletes of the year Nick Hernandez and Sam Stinnett, skimboard champs.

The annual community parade is organized by a non-profit with a mission of fostering love of community and country. “We are like a well oiled machine,” parade president

Charlie Quilter said of this year’s preparations. He was quick to credit the team of Ed Hanke, Kathleen Fay and Sandi Werthe. Quilter explains Laguna Beach’s first parade took place during a time of adversity for the country. “The United States was deep into the Vietnam War and new forms of counter-culture were arriving.” The first parade on Feb. 22, 1967, was led by Walter and Cordelia Knott of Knott’s Berry Farm as co-grand marshalls. “Now in it’s 50th year, this is an event that has been taken part in by three generations and is a rite of passage for Laguna Beach residents. Every resident is either watching or taking part.” This year, local radio station KX 93.5 FM will stream live audio from the event and will later post a video of the event on Youtube.

Today, the honored patriot McAfee and his wife live in a Top of the World home custom designed for them by the late Mark Singer, an architect they both admired. Their patriotic roles now come in a different venue. They’ve made a late-in-life career change and in the last 10 years have appeared in nearly 100 films, including “Independence Day” and “Green Mile.”

George Gore Browne is a journalism student and a Laguna Beach Independent intern.

88 Entries in Patriots Day Parade

The line-up is as follows:

1. Laguna Beach Police Motor Escort
2. Parade Banner—L.B. Girl Scouts
3. Theme Banner—L.B. Boy Scouts
4. American Legion/Veterans of Foreign Wars Combined Color Guard
5. 3d Marine Aircraft Wing Band, Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar
6. Parade President Charles Quilter
7. Grand Marshal Kelly Boyd
8. South Orange County Vietnam Veterans
9. Honored Patriot Lt. Col. Carlos McAfee USMC(Ret.)
10. Laguna Beach City Council
11. Citizen of the Year Stu Saffer
12. Laguna Beach High School Marching Band
13. Junior Citizens of the Year Elle Mahdavi and Alexander Rounaghi
14. Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education
15. SchoolPower
16. Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association
17. Sawdust Festival
18. Artist of the Year Dion Wright
19. Laguna College of Art and Design
20. Laguna Beach Water Polo Club
21. Athletes of the Year Nicholas Hernandez and Sam Stinnett
22. Thurston Middle School Band
23. Exchange Club of Laguna Beach
24. Sons of American Revolution, Orange County Chapter
25. Patience Wright Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution
26. Laguna Beach Unified School District Elementary Band
27. Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach
28. La Playa Center & Orange County Model A Ford Club
29. Mini Madness
30. HIP District
31. Pageant of the Masters
32. Boy Scout Troop 35 and Cub Scout Pack 35
33. Laguna Beach Girl Scouts
34. Laguna Beach Parents Club
35. StuNewsLaguna
36. Kyne Dance Academy
37. Laguna Beach Garden Club
38. Capistrano Valley Model A Club
39. Laguna Beach Seniors
40. Laguna Beach Little League
41. Tivoli Terrace & Tivoli Too
42. Laguna Beach Library
43. Townsend Junior High Band, Chino Hills
44. Coastline Pilot
45. Laguna Beach County Water District
46. Pet Rescue Center
47. Laguna Beach Police Department
48. Barstow Junior High Band
49. Blue Bell Foundation for Cats
50. Pacific Marine Mammal Center
51. Rotary Club of Laguna Beach
52. JJ and the Habibis, Laguna Beach Belly Dancers
53. Laguna Beach Fire Department
54. Y-Adventure Guides
55. Ralphs Grocery
56. Palmdale High School Band
57. Mission Hospital Laguna Beach
58. AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County
59. Laguna Tunes
60. Laguna Beach Community Clinic
61. Laguna Beach Lions Club
62. Susan G. Komen Orange County
63. Fountain Valley Marching Band
64. Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach
65. Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce
66. Laguna Beach Legal
67. Oak Avenue Middle School Band, Temple City
68. Laguna Board of Realtors
69. KX 93.5 Radio
70. Drama Kids International
71. Assistance League of Laguna Beach
72. Art Cars
73. Antelope Valley High School Band, Lancaster
74. Laguna Playhouse
75. LOCA Arts Education
76. No Square Theatre
77. Transition Laguna Beach
78. Bassett High School Band, La Puente
79. World War II Rangers Lead the Way
80. Laguna Laughter Club
81. Ruby’s Diner
82. Honors Chorus of Top of the World/El Morro Elementary Schools
83. Ebell Club and Philanthropy of Laguna Beach
84. Mermaid Cove
85. United Studios of Self Defense Laguna Beach Dojo
86. Oaks Middle School Band, Ontario
87. Waste Management of Orange County
88. Spurs & Satin